Open Races

8th Stage: Ano Chora - Nafpaktos

Nafpaktos is a seaside town of prefecture of Aitoloakarnania at the Corinthian Gulf, the capital of the former province of Nafpaktia. It is built between Antirrio and at the mouth of the River Mornos and is one of the oldest Greek cities enjoyed great prosperity periods and was linked to important historical events. This is confirmed by the excellent fortification, which begins from the port, continues with three successive walls and leads to the castle. It has been characterized as a traditional settlement and its population is 19.768 residents.Nafpaktos is a city with great history. It is said that it took its name from the words ναύς (ancient Greek nafs, meaning "ship") and πηγνύειν (Ancient Greek pêgnuein meaning "to build"), which means "boatyard”. It appears for the first time in 1104 BC with Dorians, who in their descent, they used the city of Nafpaktos to construct rudimentary boats (rafts to be precise), when the "Nafpaktos" stayed heritage.In 350 BC Philip II of Macedonia gives the city the Aetolians. From 338 BC the city becomes the center of the Aetolian League and there convined the councils of the League. And Nafpaktia was called Aetolia Epictetus. After the wars with the Achaeans and the destruction of the city of Thermo, Nafpaktos is essentially the capital of Aetolia.In 1571, it became the Naval Battle of Nafpaktos. This is the battle that took place at the mouth of the Patraikos Gulf (Gulf of Lepanto), next to Echinades islands, and it has been the most striking stage of the war for the conquest of Cyprus (1570-1571). This naval battle was a historic event because with this was intercepted the threatening for the Europe Turkish naval power. With this name is known the great naval conflict that took place between the Ottoman fleet and the combined navies of Sacra Lega, a Holy Alliance that established by the Spanish, the Pope, Venice and some other Italian states, on 7th of October in 1571. The foreign historians use the name Battle of Lepanto (Naval Battle of Lepanto), from the medieval name of the town.In 1821 the local residents took part in the Greek Revolution. Operations in the city began in May. The resistance of the Turks was successful and lasted several years. On 18th April, in 1829, was released finally from the Turks, when Andreas Miaoulis excluded the port of the city and forced the Turks to surrender the fort. Leaving the city the conquerors left behind a few Greek families which, indeed, came into conflict with the families coming from Souli (Botsaraioi, Tzavelaioi etc.) in which the newly established Greek State had given the Turkish mansions, in return for their contribution to the Revolution.

Sightseeing:

The castle that dominates on the hill with the pine forest behind the town.

The Venetian harbor.

The traditional houses in the city center with cobbled streets.

The old mansion of the family Mpotsaris which is converted into a private museum.

The two city beaches Psani and Gribovo and the nearby beaches of villages of Fokida.

The nearby bridge of Rio-Antirio.

The museum "Farmaki". Museum of the national liberation struggle of 1821.

faroi.com: The traditional stone lighthouse in the castle of Nafpaktos.